This is a valid customer concern - remember the Manager deciding to make the purchase from you vs. an established vendor is risking his career. If the decision misfires his neck is on the line. Answer the question with passion as truth fully as you can, here are possible responses (solutions) that together or in-part address your customers concern:
- Source code escrow: This would provide the customer with the source code if you ever went out of business or were unable to fulfill your obligations to them.
- Earned Trust: Show them who else has trusted you (other customers, investors, partners, etc.). Problem is you may not have this for the initial customer, if you have a list of existing customers this is your best bet.
- Profitability: Indicate you are profitable (assuming that is the truth) , and the source of future revenues (for example less than 50% of revenue comes from a single customer).
- Support: Put a plan in place with the customer of how support will be provided in case you are not around, this could be with a partner firm. One of my previous customers added the clause that the outsourcing company which developed the product he was selling would support it (obviously with the agreement of the outsourcing company).
How have you addressed this in the past? How have you worked with your customers to mitigate the risk to the customer if your company is no longer around.
About the Author
Along with being a guest blogger at Entrepreneurcommunityonline.com, Pooja (CEO Blueknee Marketing) specialize's in developing marketing strategy, competitive analysis and pricing strategies.
You can follow my regular blog at http://blog.blueknee.com or contact me via email at pooja@blueknee.com.
